XX INTEODUCTION 



has been finally withdrawn, a step recognised on both sides 

 as essential to progress and development. 



The advances made in veterinary hygiene in all our 

 colonies are matters for sincere congratulation. It is 

 greatly regretted that the astonishing development in the 

 veterinary inspection of meat in New Zealand could not 

 have been embodied in Chapter XII., but the details were 

 only recently known to us. This model and advanced 

 colony is a profound object-lesson to the mother-country ; 

 as a profession we are indebted to the enlightenment of its 

 Legislature, and to the capability of its veterinary adviser, 

 Mr. Gilruth. 



The researches of the latter gentleman in connection 

 with hepatic cirrhosis of animals, due to feeding on Eag- 

 wort {Senecio Jacohea), have been regretfully overlooked 

 in the section dealing with poisonous plants. 



In the same way, through an oversight, we failed to give 

 to Mr. Borthwick, M.E.C.V.S., Veterinary Department, 

 Cape of Good Hope, the credit for proving that the disease 

 described at the foot of p. 190 as due to Lessertia annularis 

 is really caused by quite a distinct plant, Cotyledon ventri- 

 cosa. 



We again urge on the Eoyal Society for the Prevention 

 of Cruelty to Animals to take up and campaign against the 

 cruelty inflicted on animals by insanitary surroundings, 

 defective ventilation, overcrowding, neglect of or defectfve 

 shoeing, underfeeding and overworking, badly adjusted 

 loads, vans and waggons without or with only imperfectly 

 acting breaks, ungreased axles, and other forms of cruelty, 

 less obvious, perhaps, than lameness and wounds but of 

 far greater general importance. Here, indeed, is a rich 

 harvest awaitmg the Society, a perfectly untrodden field 

 with immense possibilities for doing good on a large scale 

 and controllmg much of the waste of animal life which at 

 present exists in all cities and towns. 



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